Scottish Executive Question Time — General Questions – in the Scottish Parliament at 11:40 am on 10 June 2010.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
11:40,
10 June 2010
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation. (S3O-10918)
Richard Lochhead
Scottish National Party
I last met representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation at the fisheries expo in Glasgow on 21 May. The most recent meeting with officials took place last week.
Liam McArthur
Liberal Democrat
Has the Cabinet secretary had an opportunity to discuss with the federation the concerns that appear to be growing about the conservation credits scheme and the operation of the conservation credits scheme steering group? The retrospective application of the reduction in the base rate of days at sea, the manner in which monkfish quota transferability has been handled by his Government and the threatened loss of the deepwater edge along the so-called French line are all causing concern and Division in the industry. The conservation credits scheme was set up to provide credits for developing and complying with initiatives, in partnership, so that the industry would have a more secure future. Will the cabinet secretary give urgent attention to the growing concerns about the group and the way in which the scheme is operating?
Richard Lochhead
Scottish National Party
I assure the member that I am giving urgent attention to a number of the concerns that face the white-fish sector, in particular, at the current time. The conservation credits scheme is one of a number of innovative steps forward that we have taken by working closely with the fishing industry against the
The member mentioned the Amendment to the number of days of sea that has been implemented by the conservation credits scheme steering group this year. One of the innovative results of that new relationship is that we can buy back some of the days that were cut by adopting the further conservation measures that the fleet could put into practice. That is a significant achievement, which has been made despite the constraints of the common fisheries policy.
I will give my attention to a number of the issues that the member raises.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
